El RitoRestaurants
●El Farolito – 1212 Main Street; 575-581-9509; facebook.com/pages/El-Farolito-Restaurant/299986243425646; tiny restaurant with huge flavors; Who says it’s among the best? How about Gourmet magazine (2003), as well as Sunset, Travel & Leisure, New York Times, New Mexico & (in 2004) by Rand McNally, which recognized it with “Best of Road” award, making it only restaurant in state to be accorded with such honor during year; occupies simple adobe building that from outside looks abandoned (in fact, if you’re even slightly exceeding at-crawl speed limit of 25 miles per hour, you’ll miss weathered plywood sign); inside, 7 picnic tables constitute dining area; green chile once named “best chile” by International Chile Society; in business for more than 4 decades.

SOCORRO COUNTYSan AntonioSights & Sites
●Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge – 1001 New Mexico Highway 1; 575-838-2120; fws.gov/refuge/bosque_del_apache or festivalofthecranes.com; refuge heart comprises 3.8K acres on Rio Grande River floodplain & 9.1K acres irrigated farms & wetlands; in addition, 44.3K acres arid grasslands & Chupadera and San Pascual Mountain foothills; 30K acres of this is designated as wilderness; 12 mile loop road divided by cutoffs into “Farm“ & “Marsh” Loops allows automobile drivers excellent views of wetland wildlife, including raptors; several short (1.5-10 miles) walking trails; desert plant garden maintained adjacent to Visitor Center; 377 bird species observed since 1940; attracts huge flocks wintering cranes & geese; many other species — notably waterfowl, shorebirds & birds of prey — also winter here; striking vagrants such as Groove-billed Ani have been found there; also hosts 3 federally designated Wilderness areas (Chupadera, Little San Pascual & Indian Well); bird diversity also high in spring, particularly last week of April & 1st week of May, and in fall; in summer area is hot but many water birds can be found, including such New Mexico rarities as Least Bittern & occasionally Little Blue Heron; late November to late February is best time for large bird numbers; typically over 10K Sandhill Cranes and over 20K Ross’s & Snow Geese; annual Festival of Cranes held weekend before Thanksgiving as large numbers of cranes begin arriving in refuge; winter visitors generally plan to be in refuge at sunrise or sunset, when crane & geese flocks (that roost in refuge) commute to or from local fields where they feed; can stay nearby in Socorro or San Antonio.

SocorroSights & Sites
●Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge – Route 1 (formerly US Highway 85) or 217 Fisher Avenue (visitors’ center); 575-835-8927; socorronm.gov/attractions_detail.asp?AttractionID=5; founded in 1939; name means “Apache forest”; core 3.8K acres & additional 9.1K acres in irrigated farms & wetlands, as well as 44.3K acres in Chupadera & San Pascual Mountains foothills and grasslands; 12 mile-long loop allows automobile drivers excellent views; several short walking trails; adjacent to Visitors’ Center, is desert plant garden; 377 bird species since 1940; wetlands attract huge flocks wintering cranes & geese, which are refuge’s most interesting feature; late November-late February is best time for typically over 10K Sandhill Cranes and over 20K Ross’s & Snow Geese; annual crane festival held weekend before Thanksgiving (when large numbers begin arriving); best time for viewing is sunrise or sunset.
●San Miguel Church – 403 El Camino Real; 575-835-2891; sdc.org/~smiguel; built on Nuestra Señora de Socorro mission (1626 but destroyed in 1680 during Pueblo Revolt) ruins; old mission adobe wall portion remains today (behind glass just left of altar); oldest Catholic church in US, founded in 1598, when village of Socorro founded, but not built until 19th Century.

VALENCIA COUNTYLos LunasRestaurants
●Weck’s – 3463 Main Street Northwest; 505-865-5770; wecksinc.co; breakfast & lunch.Sights & Sites
●Decalogue Stone – Hidden Mountain (from Los Lunas, 16.8 miles drive; take New Mexico State Highway 6 West (Main Street Northeast in town) out of town for about 13.2 miles (road makes sharp left), stay on New Mexico 6 West another 3.2 miles (you will see some railroad tracks in distance & road turns back to right as you approach tracks), make left onto 1st road that goes to landfill (railroad storage area just before turn), travel down that road until see gate on left & park, then 2 mile hike to stone); 505-352-3596 (Los Lunas Chamber of Commerce); badarchaeology.com/?page_id=959; large boulder that bears regular inscription carved into flat panel; apparently ten commandments written in Paleo-Hebraic script.